IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/14436.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

International expansion, diversification and regulated firms' nonmarket strategy

Author

Listed:
  • Bonardi, Jean-Philippe
  • Urbiztondo, Santiago
  • Quélin, Bertrand

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that regulated firms tend to diversify for different reasons than unregulated ones. This is the case for product but also for geographical diversification, i.e. international expansion. The logic generally advanced is that regulated firms tend to diversify when they face costly and difficult relationships with the regulatory authority in charge of their sector. This approach, however, does not explain (1) what is really at the core of the problem in regulated firms’ relationships with regulators, (2) why these firms cannot overcome part of the problem by developing nonmarket strategies –lobbying, campaign contributions, etc.– to influence regulatory decisions, and (3) why they sometimes opt for international expansion rather than product diversification. In this paper, we propose a theoretical model that provides potential answers to these questions. We start by considering the firm-regulator relationship as an incomplete information problem, in which the firms know things that the regulator does not, but can cannot convey hard information about these things. In this setting, we show that when firms face tough nonmarket competition domestically, going abroad can create a mechanism that makes information transmission credible and therefore strengthen their position in their home market. International expansion, in consequence, can be a way to solve some of the problems that regulated firms face at home in addition to a way for these firms to grow their business abroad.

Suggested Citation

  • Bonardi, Jean-Philippe & Urbiztondo, Santiago & Quélin, Bertrand, 2009. "International expansion, diversification and regulated firms' nonmarket strategy," MPRA Paper 14436, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:14436
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/14436/1/MPRA_paper_14436.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James R. Markusen, 2004. "Multinational Firms and the Theory of International Trade," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262633078, December.
    2. Matthias Dahm & Nicolás Porteiro, 2008. "Informational lobbying under the shadow of political pressure," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 30(4), pages 531-559, May.
    3. Wolf, Bernard M, 1977. "Industrial Diversification and Internationalization: Some Empirical Evidence," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 177-191, December.
    4. Grossman, Gene M & Helpman, Elhanan, 1994. "Protection for Sale," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(4), pages 833-850, September.
    5. Jensen, Michael C, 1986. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 323-329, May.
    6. Gerpott, Torsten J. & Jakopin, Nejc M., 2005. "The degree of internationalization and the financial performance of European mobile network operators," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(8), pages 635-661, September.
    7. Esteban García‐Canal & Mauro F. Guillén, 2008. "Risk and the strategy of foreign location choice in regulated industries," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(10), pages 1097-1115, October.
    8. Tammy L. Madsen & Gordon Walker, 2007. "Incumbent and Entrant Rivalry in a Deregulated Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 667-687, August.
    9. Palmer, Karen, 1991. "Diversification by Regulated Monopolies and Incentives for Cost-Reducing R&D," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(2), pages 266-270, May.
    10. Thomas P. Lyon & John W. Maxwell, 2004. "Astroturf: Interest Group Lobbying and Corporate Strategy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 561-597, December.
    11. Steve Thompson, 1999. "Increasingly Marginal Utilities: Diversification and Free Cash Flow in Newly Privatized UK Utilities," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 15(1), pages 25-42, August.
    12. Margarethe F. Wiersema & Harry P. Bowen, 2008. "Corporate diversification: the impact of foreign competition, industry globalization, and product diversification," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 115-132, February.
    13. Roger J. Kashlak & Maheshkumar P. Joshi, 1994. "Core business regulation and dual diversification patterns in the telecommunications industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(8), pages 603-611, October.
    14. John D. Daniels & Robert A. Pitts & Marietta J. Tretter, 1985. "Organizing for dual strategies of product diversity and international expansion," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 223-237, July.
    15. Sappington, David E. M., 2003. "Regulating horizontal diversification," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 291-315, March.
    16. MB Sarkar & S Tamer Cavusgil & Preet S Aulakh, 1999. "International Expansion of Telecommunication Carriers: The Influence of Market Structure, Network Characteristics, and Entry Imperfections," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 361-381, June.
    17. Dunning, John H, 1979. "Explaining Changing Patterns of International Production: In Defence of the Eclectic Theory," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 41(4), pages 269-295, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Wrona & Corinna Sinzig, 2018. "Nonmarket strategy research: systematic literature review and future directions," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 253-317, February.
    2. Wu Wei & Xuan Zhao & Mei Li & Malcolm Warner, 2016. "Integrating nonmarket and market resources, strategy and performance in Chinese enterprises: a review of the field and a resource-based empirical study," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 220-237, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Isabel Faeth, 2009. "Determinants Of Foreign Direct Investment – A Tale Of Nine Theoretical Models," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 165-196, February.
    2. Montolio Daniel & Trillas Francesc & Trujillo-Baute Elisa, 2014. "Regulatory Environment and Firm Performance in EU Telecommunications Services," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 13(3), pages 271-302, September.
    3. King, Timothy & Loncan, Tiago & Khan, Zaheer, 2021. "Investment, leverage and political risk: Evidence from project-level FDI," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    4. Damian Ward, 2003. "Can Independent Distribution Function as a Mode of Corporate Governance?: An Examination of the UK Life Insurance Market," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 7(4), pages 361-384, December.
    5. Matthias Dahm & Robert Dur & Amihai Glazer, 2009. "Lobbying of Firms by Voters," Working Papers 080926, University of California-Irvine, Department of Economics.
    6. Mireille Chiroleu‐Assouline & Thomas P. Lyon, 2020. "Merchants of doubt: Corporate political action when NGO credibility is uncertain," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 439-461, April.
    7. Parker, David, 2001. "Economic Regulation: A Preliminary Literature Review and Summary of Research Questions Arising," Centre on Regulation and Competition (CRC) Working papers 30616, University of Manchester, Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM).
    8. Fuentelsaz, Lucio & Garrido, Elisabet & Maicas, Juan P., 2020. "The effect of informal and formal institutions on foreign market entry selection and performance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(2).
    9. Cotton, Christopher, 2015. "Competing for Attention," MPRA Paper 65715, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Cheung, Zeerim & Aalto, Eero & Nevalainen, Pasi, 2020. "Institutional Logics and the Internationalization of a State-Owned Enterprise: Evaluation of International Venture Opportunities by Telecom Finland 1987–1998," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    11. Petri Böckerman & Eero Lehto, 2006. "Enemy of Labour? Analysing the Employment Effects of Mergers and Acquisitions," Working Papers 221, Työn ja talouden tutkimus LABORE, The Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE.
    12. Andre Jungmittag, 2019. "Service trade restrictiveness and internationalisation of retail trade," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 293-333, April.
    13. Cristina López-Duarte & Esteban García-Canal, 2007. "Stock market reaction to foreign direct investments: Interaction between entry mode and FDI attributes," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 393-422, June.
    14. Mireille Chiroleu-Assouline & Thomas P. Lyon, 2016. "Merchants of Doubt: Corporate Political Influence when Expert Credibility is Uncertain," Working Papers 2016.28, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
    15. Qian, Gongming, 1996. "The effect of multinationality measures upon the risk-return performance of US firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 247-265, June.
    16. Cotton, Christopher, 2009. "Should we tax or cap political contributions? A lobbying model with policy favors and access," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(7-8), pages 831-842, August.
    17. Quach, Sara & Thaichon, Park & Hewege, Chandana, 2020. "Triadic relationship between customers, service providers and government in a highly regulated industry," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    18. Cotton, Christopher, 2007. "Informational Lobbying and Competition for Access," MPRA Paper 1842, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Curwen, Peter & Whalley, Jason, 2013. "Mapping worldwide mobile networks: Some problems and indicative solutions," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 1150-1165.
    20. Matthias Dahm & Robert Dur & Amihai Glazer, 2014. "How a firm can induce legislators to adopt a bad policy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 63-82, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    International diversification; regulated firms; lobbying;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:14436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.